post-racial america

Obama Impersonator Thrown Out For Mocking GOP: Racist Jokes Were Okay

Inexplicably, the organizers of the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans asked an Obama impersonator to do a light comedy routine making fun of the president for a roomful of pasty napping olds. For some reason, the organizers thought it would be super funny to have a black impersonator show up onstage and make a bunch of miscegenation jokes to this white crowd. But that’s not a laughing matter, having Africans take advantage of Our White Women!

So the crowd was very uncomfortable about this whole attempt at humor. And as this video proves, the old Saturday Night Live 1981-2011 “if it’s not getting laughs, just make the sketch even longer” rule has not been lost on the GOP leadership. “Michelle celebrates all of Black History Month. I only celebrate half,” was an actual joke this guy, Reggie Brown, used on his audience, and they laughed.

For some reason, multiplemediaoutlets decided to report that this performance was bad because it was full of jokes about Obama being black. Sure, this is true. None of it was terribly funny. But the audience was in stitches through every one of those jokes.

Beverly Hills surgeon explains at home fix for crepey skin around the arms, legs, and stomach.

This makes it sound like the RLC organizers were offended that Brown made jokes about black people in hideously poor taste. But no, he actually got all the way through those “Obama is black” jokes — including one about how they should rearrange the room according to pre-Civil Rights Act regulations, and everyone laughed — before he used the joke that just tells itself, “Newt Gingrich’s campaign is falling apart.” AHAHA… see, we laughed at that one? This is when the audience finally turned on Reggie Brown. They booed him. DO NOT INSULT NEWT.

By the time he gets around to mocking Michele Bachmann, about nineteen minutes into this thing, the GOP is freaking out! They cut his microphone! And then some old white guy in a suit literally hauls the Obama impersonator off the stage! Incredible!

The real accomplishment here was to get a bunch of Republicans laughing, on camera, because they enjoy mocking the very existence of a black president. They do this anyway. But it’s good to have more archival video? We were getting tired of those dumb watermelon-on-the-White-House lawn photos. [YouTube/Politico]

So the 6 months I just spent with burned-out bulbs in my dining room, forcing the kids to eat by braille, is not because I am lazy, but because I am liberal? Thank the dogs (I have 5) — I was running out of excuses for not replacing the front porch light as well. Someone should have told me this before my wife made me change the bulbs this Saturday, dammit!

rickmaci

They won't replace the bulb, they would rather sit in the dark and blame Obama because light is out.

bumfug

If he'd just borrowed some gay jokes from Tracy Morgan and left the republican politicians alone he'd still be on stage doing encores.

Sparky_McGruff

There's a parallel there. The reason that Tracy Morgan's jokes caused such a stir (and were generally not considered funny) is that they seemed to be hateful rants without much comedy.

The GOP likes their racist "jokes" the same way — lots of hate, not much joke. It's an old standard from the days of Ol' Dixie — you can't talk about lynchin' niggras in polite company, so you "joke" about lynchings instead. Or at least about watermelons and welfare queens.

That way you can say "It's just a joke, son, dontcha have any sense of humor?" when someone doesn't find your "jokes" about stringing up the darkies or skinning them alive particularly funny. The GOP "conservatives" don't actually like comedy — witness the few attempts at "conservative comedians" or "comedy shows". They do like to put a thin veneer of deniability over their hate filled rants, however.

tessiee

"The GOP "conservatives" don't actually like comedy — witness the few attempts at "conservative comedians" or "comedy shows".

The GOP sucks at comedy, firstly, because they totally lack anything resembling a sense of humor (and like everybody I've ever met with no sense of humor, are dull-witted, mean-spirited, unaware, self-important jackasses).

Secondly, they can't do comedy because they're not the underdog. There's no humor and no dramatic tension in watching the ruling class pick on the little guy — we don't wonder how it's going to go — they're already the ruling class — so it's just plain and simple bullying, which is their modus operandi for everything, anyway.

a_pink_poodle

Insulting the GOP Saints is blasphemous! What would Lord Reagan (pbuh) think?

Can I just say for the thousandth time that I hate minorities who whore themselves out to these type of events? Come on, brothas. If we didn't do this, they'd be forced to black-face one of their own to do it. Make them own it; stop being complicit.

I know everyone has to eat, but do we have no standards?

memzilla

Lena Horne, Stepin Fetchit, Bill Bojangles, Hattie McDaniel, et al. were called "sellouts" because they worked for less pay than their white counterparts. I used to think that too. Then I took into account that there was a Great Depression on, and forgave them, because even though these people personified shameful stereotypes, they were at least gettin' paid in the middle ot the Great Depression. However, I don't recall any of them being willing to whore themselves out for FDR's Rethugilcan opponents, Alf Landon or Wendell Wilkie. /end Old White Guy Rant

Negropolis

We don't have to do this anymore in the acting world, though, to make a living. Many of them did, and I don't place blame on any of them, though, I'm glad what Lena Horne in particular was able to later beocme.

I don't excuse this stuff from our actors in the 21st century; that's where I draw the line and I don't find that an unfair criticism of this. For goodness sake, the president is a black dude! For the love of god, let this blatant form of this particular form of "entertainment" die already.

memzilla

What would this guy be thinking to think this would be a good career move? Is the Resident Minstrel role at Rethuglican and Tea Klux Klan hivemind meetings really a long-term gig?

…

OK, my second question was just stupid.

LetUsBray

Ask Clarence Thomas.

CalamityJames

You hear that, Will Smith!!!

We're coming for you!

tessiee

A friend of mine who is a bit of a movie buff made the interesting observation that in a lot of Will Smith's movies, he played the kind of parts that Harrison Ford used to play when he was younger.

I don't think Mr. Brown will be doing this shtick anywhere in the near future. He managed to be universally offensive without being clever or original. You‘ve got to wonder how he could have thought that this would have been a good career move.

LiveToServeYa

Some people will do anything for money because, someplace along the line, greed became, for lack of a better word, good. Greed for money, greed for fame, greed for publicity. It's the same as Elton John performing for el Rushboob's wedding. The pay's the thing.

I can't believe that anyone will buy the Republiklan argument that they pulled him from stage for racist comments. Whoever booked Reggie Brown knew exactly what they were going to get, I imagine somebody probably pointed out that having an Obama Impersonator at a Republiklan meeting wasn't a real bright idea.

PocketsTheClown

BLACK FACE IS BACK HA HA. Also, still looking for a guaranteed student loan for my kindergartener. Anyone?

memzilla

Bond him out to teaching ESL in China in 14 years. It's just like indentured servitude, but with less Koch Brothers.

PocketsTheClown

Wait.. China owns us already I thought. Isn't that why it costs so much to eat now? Are the Kock Brothers Chinese? Sry, I drunk.

nounverb911

Needs more melamine.

Negropolis

WIN

Negropolis

Now to the fun part…

This is like meth, to them. And they wonder why self-respecting minorities don't sign up for their bullshit. They have to wade through all of this shit before they can even get a glimpse about your flimsy, not-so-serious platform.

mormos

no, meth is like meth to them. Because they do meth, is what I'm saying.

I'm betting a lot of the audience wish for a return to wholesome entertainment like Amos & Andy or white people in blackface.

PristineODummy

Isn't this a lot like the last spasms of the British for the days of Empire? Remember when Merchant & Ivory couldn't churn out enough Jewel-In-The-Crown-type wholesale smirkage and pant-plunderage?

Frost/Nixon/Robocop

Didn't these people see Bamboozled?

LesBontemps

They starred in it.

flamingpdog

What was with the gap in the audio at 18 and a half minutes? Was Zombie Rosemary Woods at the conference?

CapnFatback

I really don't believe Brown's removal was political, Kirsten. This event was held in New Orleans: he got the bum's rush because he dared stand in front of a crowd of drunken assholes for nearly twenty minutes without showing his tits.

flamingpdog

Routine needz moar beads.

poncho_pilot

the only beads you'll find at an RLC function are of the anal variety. will those do?

PristineODummy

Only if they're still sealed in the original wrapping. You can't share toys with Republicans. You have no idea WHERE those beads have been.

alaninthecastro

I don't want to get all conpsiracy-theoryish, but has it occurred to anyone that the media has been using impersonators to portray ALL Democratic politicians the past three years? It would explain a lot.

LesBontemps

I'd be relieved if they were just impersonators, but I think it's actually Taiwanese animation.

flamingpdog

So they pulled him off the stage when he got to the Michele Bachmann jokes? Maybe the master of ceremonies knew the ladies' room was out of order and her SUV driver had driven off to get some cigs.

Guppy06

She's not been able to enter the ladies' room alone ever since The Incident.

memzilla

♫ ♪ ♫ (to the tune of Col. Bogey's March) ♪ ♫ ♪

Hitler…. has only got one ball!
Göring… has two, but ver-ry small.
Himmler… is somewhat sim'lar.
But poor Goebbels.. has no balls… at all!http://bit.ly/6g1C

PristineODummy

We used to sing that, growing up.

fuflans

<shudder>

on every level.

fuflans

to be fair, the biden jokes were pretty funny.

(and i love me some gaffy joe.)

emmelemm

So, isn't that the same guy who was "debating" one of the Rands on Fox? (The actor, I mean.) I watched neither video; I'm merely basing this on the still shot from each.

If so, he must be the most self-hating person on earth.

iburl

Please don't drag Aunt Ester and Fred Sandford into this.

sati_demise

His make up was weird. too weird. watching people roll around in shit is boring

I loved Reggie's look of surprise when the jovial altar-boy rapist comes up behind him unannounced to "give him the light." Good gravy people, this is why they shine a light in comedy clubs, so you don't put yourself at physical risk by sneaking up on a comic who's bombing, in order to tell that person nobody finds them funny. Least of all Calista Gingrich.

God knows where he was escorted to after that, it didn't look like it was gonna be much fun. Hope he at least got his parking validated.

SayItWithWookies

Ha ha — the real black president is funnier than the fake black president. And I'm not gonna harsh on him for being black. First of all, he got in some jabs at his audience too, so he was trying to be equal opportunity. He just figured a roomful of Republicans would be able to take it. Miscalculation is all.

CapeClod

Because, really, what kind of humor can be mined from a serial divorcer, a flip-flopping panderer, a deeply unpopular fetus worshiper, a looney eyed church lady, a bad pizza shop owner, and a man so ridiculously boring that people fall asleep whenever his name is even mentioned?

If I'm Mr. Brown, I'm not walking onto the stage at any Republican conference posing as Obama unless I'm 100 percent certain that all the firearms have been checked at the front door.

HistoriCat

And your ride is waiting for you with the motor running.

fuflans

ok now that i've watched that: yuck. that was just…awful. nothing funny whatsoever until the end (and then only recycled jokes that have been making the circuit for at least the past month) and then the black guy gets pulled off stage.

Jesus fuck– it's like the Republicans' Mammy. Black stereotypes can be funny in a specific comedic context but never in a room full of soulless rich white assholes.

Negropolis

Bingo. Less than the jokes, themselves, it's the audience in which you deliver jokes. You don't do these jokes at a political event for fucking Republicans knowing the context in which they'll be received by most of them. They aren't laughing with the president, they are laughing at the president…because he's black. That's it. There isn't anything else to it.

HistoriCat

So what you're saying is that being black is not funny? Shit – you mean I shouldn't point and laugh at people just because of their race?

Glen: How many Polacks it take to screw up a lightbulb?
H.I.: I don't know, Glen. One?
Glen: Nope, it takes three.
Glen: Wait a minute, I told it wrong. Here, I'm startin' over: How come it takes three Polacks to screw up a lightbulb?
H.I.: I don't know, Glen.
Glen: 'Cause they're so darn stupid!
Glen: Shit, man, loosen up! Don't ya get it?
H.I.: No, Glen, I sure don't.
Glen: Shit, man, think about it! I guess it's what they call a "way homer."
H.I.: Why's that?
Glen: 'Cause you only get it on the way home.
H.I.: I'm already home, Glen.

easybaked

Too bad they didn't invite Stephen Colbert to speak. Now that would have been funny.

Guppy06

These are the same people who think Colbert is some sort of double-meta super-secret conservative mocking libruls. It'd be less "laughing" and more "cheering."

poorgradstudent

I kind of wish the Democrats would respond by having Tina Fey play Sarah Palin at one of their official conferences. The chorus of hypocritical screeches of "Well, I NEVER!" echoing from every teevee showing FOX News would be beautiful.

Negropolis

Oh boy, that would be a thing of beauty. Send here to Netroots of something and just let her go wild.

Nothingisamiss

Except I don't accept that that would be the same thing. When Tina was doing her awesome work, it wasn't "anti woman" in front of men who think women should wear burkas, making their case that stoning was an acceptable form of punishment.

I realize now that you've said this, though, this is EXACTLY what they will point to.

CapeClod

And one of the best things that Tina Fey does in her act is repeat what Sarah Palin says verbatim.

What struck me just now is that just this morning Jon Stewart was on Fox News Sunday with another fake newsman, Chris Wallace, who showed a bit TDS did a couple of weeks ago in which they played a video of a Herman Cain speech and then cut to Jon adding some jokes in a "Herman Cain" voice. Jon basically just sounded like a gruff old guy and there was nothing even remotely racial about it to my ears, but Wallace tried to tar him with the "racist" brush by asking if he was planning on reviving the old Amos 'N Andy show next. I hope TDS juxtaposes this clip with that one and then shoves it up Chris Wallace's ass.

To his credit, during the interview Jon called Chris Wallace "insane" at least once.

Negropolis

I remember that episode. Jon was doing a (bad – like most of his accents) old Southern accent; that's about it.

And, again, for all the conservatives listening, context and the type of audience you're playing are very important, as if you should even have to be told. If you have to be told that Chris Rock wouldn't be stupid enough to do his act at an event hosted by the Daughters of the Confederacy, you're fucking morons.

guangho

Hey I'd love to see Chris Rock do a show for the sons and daughters of the confederacy. After his kids grow up I mean.

finallyhappy

Mike Wallace must be so ashamed of his son.

Negropolis

If we're to be honest, Mike is probably still ashamed and regretful that he didn't have the balls to raise his son. But, that's a whole other discussion.

fuflans

droogs.

pinkocommi

What a surprise that Republitards' idea of a sense of humor involves putting people who are different from them down…. So goes their comedy, goes their politics. It is an integrated worldview.

mormos

I bet he agreed to do this just so he could mock them all to their faces there at the end.

In 1967, Israel didn't take "Palestine's" land. Gaza was part of Egypt, West Bank part or Jordan. After the war Egypt and Jordan said they didn't want it back, as it was full of Palestinians. I think we'd feel the same way if Mexico got ahold of Texas.

Note to unfunny Obama Impersonator: Do not remind stuipid white men that they are stupid white men. I'm sure they are all still reeling over all the money they gave to the "Elect Newt" ponzi scheme and you are just rubbing salt into the booboo.

DahBoner

He needs to permanently tattoo that on his hand…

the_problem_child

The impersonation part was pretty good, I thought. The jokes (all of them), not so much. He must have trolled Our Wonkette on an off day.

You see, when a white president is walking to the helicopter, he's all like this, with his ass tight, and his back up straight, and he salutes the Marine at the stairs. But when a half-black president walks to the helicopter, he be all bouncin' and dippin' his shoulders, and boom shacka-lacka, and fist bumps the Marine, and goes 'Sup, nigga?," then jogs up the stairs.

ThundercatHo

Thanks man, now I'm gonna have Stripes playing in my head all damn day. Boom shacka-lacka-lacka….I just love Bill Murray.

tessiee

Black people be postin' like this:
*struts*
'sup 'sup 'sup 'sup 'sup

But white people be postin' like this:
*tightassed*
meh meh meh meh meh.

Consider some comedy counter-examples, Tess: on one hand, Steve Urkel, and on the other, Gilbert Gottfried.

bflrtsplk

Hey, did the hear the one about the black Republican?

There aren't any.

Noman

It is pretty hard for minorities to escape the Democrat Plantation.

bflrtsplk

Of course, when the GOPers throw you off the stage for making fun of the Newster, that kind of limits your options.

neiltheblaze

Thank goodness Politico was there to put a positive spin on it and play down the "Republicans are humorless, racist clods" aspect. What would we do without them?

horsedreamer_1

Progress, instead of regress?

I saw a woman from the Po'o on CSPAN yesterday, Kacie something or other. I can honestly say, she looked good enough to do porno… & doing porno would be a step up from writing for POLITICO.

SaintRond

This "comedian" would do well to remember Steppin' Fetchit's son who was so mortified by his father's onscreen antics that he went out and shot 15 people dead on a turnpike before turning the gun on himself.

That said, would you like to see my wiener?

Peace… God bless…

hollywooddood

Uppity minorities are a laugh riot.

ganmerlad

I first read the jokes about Obama in the Politico story and didn't think they were funny. But then I read them again in the NYT story and started giggling. It is all about *who* is telling the joke, and the font. (Or possibly because the first joke NYT put out there was: 'He said that he was born in Hawaii, adding, “or as the Tea Partiers like to call it, Kenya.”')

'Doug Heye, a party strategist and former communications director for the Republican National Committee, criticized the hiring of Mr. Brown. As word of the performance began to spread online, he wrote in a message on Twitter: “Wonder why many minorities have problems with G.O.P.? Our own fault.”' Understatement much?

Limeylizzie

Jesus Christ, between this fool and the union actors doing the anti-union Target spot ,the selling-out is getting crazy.

Black face isn't funny enough to republicans. A slave whipping reenactment with audience participation would have made them laugh until they shit their Depends.

MLite

Someone who is skilled at videos should make a cut with just the audience shots so we can play "Where's Waldo" looking for anyone who isn't white and over 40.

Callyson

I gave five minutes…was this supposed to be funny or something? I mean, funny to anyone who *isn't* an old racist?

DaRooster

"…because they enjoy mocking the very existence of a black president.

mavenmaven

The funniest part of this is watching that crazy lady get all excited and jumping out of her seat at the mention of Michelle Bachmann.
Other than that, I was waiting for him to break into an updated version of
"if you could see her through my eyes" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ7qdG2kcIc

We didn't mind when he kept referring to how much all the Nazis enjoyed ass-fucking, but he really crossed the line when he referred to the entire congregation as "a bunch of hook-nosed, fork-tongued, scheming yids."

Swampgas_Man

Not many people remember this, but der Fuhrer was a great dancer.

PristineODummy

And SO good with dogs and little children!

carlgt1

This is by far the most accurate headline about this Repug "comedian" I have seen in any media source.

Watched it all, and I'm not finding what there is to be so outraged about, or why this guy should be tarred and feathered. His jokes and his imitation are mostly the kind of mild shit that professional Presidential impersonators have been doing since JFK. Get your outrage meters tuned, this is nowhere in the vicinity of monosyllabic gangster rappers pointing at Janice Hahn's ass.

Negropolis

Actually, it's worse, because it's done under the guise of this being a legitimate act to do at a Republican event. The Janice hahn shit is so blatantly over the top, it's actually funny. There is something really insipid about audience interaction like that.

There is nothing redeemable about this performance. It's either not funny, insidiously playing to racists, or both. I'm not surprised you're both defending this and then using it to browbeat everyone else here, though. That seems to be your MO, here. Playing a constant contrarian must be fun.

Noman

Libunatics love to post the term "n***er."

Makes their pu**ies wet.

tessiee

So?
Is somebody holding their hand over your mouth?
Go ahead, go up to a black person and call them a "nigger" to their face, if that will make your day complete.
Nobody here is stopping you.
In fact, some of us would probably sell tickets.

finallyhappy

I don't get it- I also have forgotten how the Kardashians got a Tv show. Someone told me- but don't bother telling me again. There are so many unknown people on TV- and I have no idea why. Let me just repeat that is why I watch old movies and old TV(and the Walking Dead)

Noman

Making fun of Mooshell?

Negropolis

Yes, Mooshell Crazy Ass Bachmann.

anniegetyerfun

Hold the motherfucking phone. Do you mean to tell me that The Politico didn't report something 100% accurately?

PristineODummy

Let's put it this way: they would if they could. After all, they've screwed everything else.